> **来源：[研报客](https://pc.yanbaoke.cn)** 10TH EDITION # Annual Trends # Report 2026 # oneAdvanced # Foreword As we celebrate the 10th edition of our Annual Trends Report, I am struck by how far digital innovations have come, and how much further we still must go. Artificial intelligence is no longer a peripheral tool; it is the connective tissue shaping politics, society, and the economy. The forces of change; geopolitical, environmental, regulatory, and cultural are converging at speed, redefining trust and rewriting the rules of engagement for organisations everywhere. Yet progress is uneven. Innovation races ahead, but integration lags. Legacy systems, fragmented workflows, and a persistent digital skills divide continue to hold organisations back. Investments in AI are accelerating, but without preparing people to harness its potential, the promise of human-machine collaboration remains out of reach. At the same time, rising cyber threats and the challenge of measuring digital value remind us that resilience and accountability must be at the heart of transformation. This report is both a reflection on the past decade and a call to action for the future. It highlights the opportunities and risks that technology buyers must navigate, and it underscores the urgency of building skills, strengthening integration, and securing trust. At OneAdvanced, our mission is clear: to power the world of work, empowering organisations to thrive in this new era of AI-driven change. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to our customers, partners, and employees whose trust, collaboration, and commitment continue to inspire and shape our journey. Simon Walsh, CEO, OneAdvanced # Partner Foreword - Road Haulage Association As the largest dedicated trade association representing the HGV, coach and van sectors, the RHA represents the businesses that keep the UK's supply chains moving. Our members are operating at a time of rapid technological, regulatory, and workforce change, making clarity and practical support more important than ever. The OneAdvanced Trends Report offers timely insight into how these pressures are reshaping the way the industry works. Its findings closely reflect what we hear from operators every day: innovation is moving quickly, but ambition is often running ahead of integration, skills, and day-to-day delivery. Anchored in our priorities - from skills and infrastructure to net zero and frictionless trade - the RHA continues to work with government and partners to help ensure digital transformation is workable, proportionate, and delivers real value for businesses on the ground. Richard Smith - MD, RHA # Executive summary As wholesale & logistics organisations move into 2026, Artificial Intelligence has shifted from a peripheral tool to the connective tissue binding aspects like inventory management, distribution, and commerce. The forces shaping this era are converging and amplifying one another, redefining trust in delivery commitments, supplier relationships, and operational resilience. Geopolitical realignments, climate imperatives, evolving compliance obligations, and cultural shifts are rewriting the wholesale & logistics landscape at speed. At the centre of this transformation sits AI: streamlining route planning, exposing bottlenecks in distribution networks, and demanding new frameworks of accountability. Business leaders and regulators within these industries must navigate choices, risks, and opportunities across political, environmental, regulatory, social, technological, and economic dimensions. Yet, despite the pace of innovation, digital transformation in wholesale & logistics continues to fall short. Many organisations remain constrained by outdated technology, siloed workflows, and poor integration between operational data and back-office systems. These challenges have delayed decision-making, stymied growth, and blunted competitive advantage. Ten years on from early warnings, the digital skills divide persists. While investment in AI accelerates, workforce readiness lags, creating a bottleneck in human-machine collaboration. Training and development remain low priorities, leaving companies ill-prepared to capture the promised gains in efficiency and innovation. At the same time, measuring digital value remains elusive. Senior executives often perceive far greater returns on technology investments than frontline managers, underscoring a disconnect between strategic ambition and the operational reality faced by desk-free workers. Rising cyber threats compound this challenge, eroding confidence and demanding sustained attention to data security and supply chain continuity. Together, these dynamics highlight a paradox: wholesale & logistics organisations are investing heavily in technology, yet without integration, skills, and security, the full value of these investments cannot be realised - leaving productivity, competitiveness, and customer outcomes at risk. # Contents 1 AI at the core: Forces redefining the future Go to Chapter 1 2 Workflow, software & decision-making optimisation Go to Chapter 2 3 The current state of human-machine collaboration Go to Chapter 3 4 Measuring the value of digital investments Go to Chapter 4 # AI at the core: Forces redefining the future # Introduction As we move into 2026, technology users are navigating a world where artificial intelligence is no longer a peripheral tool but the connective tissue across society. The forces shaping this era are not isolated, they are converging, amplifying one another, and redefining trust in platforms, people, and tech. From geopolitical realignments to climate imperatives, from regulatory guardrails to cultural shifts, the landscape is being rewritten at speed. AI sits at the centre of this transformation: powering innovation, exposing vulnerabilities, and demanding new frameworks of accountability. This section highlights the macro forces in play - political, environmental, regulatory, social, technological, economic, and beyond - that will define the choices, risks, and opportunities for businesses utilising technology in the years ahead. # Macro forces shaping 2026 # Political Geopolitical tensions and shifting alliances are reshaping global trade routes and customs boundaries, with digital sovereignty and AI regulation becoming central to cross-border logistics, compliance, and data governance from a legal standpoint. # Regulatory Global regulators are racing to set AI guardrails in wholesale & logistics, introducing stricter rules on transparency, bias, and accountability in automated decision making, alongside new frameworks for data sharing across jurisdictions. # Environmental Climate adaptation is accelerating, and AI-powered modelling is increasingly used to optimise transport routes, reduce emissions, and support ESG reporting. # Social Trust is the new currency. Consumers demand ethical AI, human-centric design, and inclusivity. Workforce reskilling is critical as automation reshapes roles. # Macro forces shaping 2026 # Economic Productivity gains from AI are offset by inflationary pressures and uneven adoption. Enterprises that harness AI for efficiency and innovation will outpace those stuck in legacy models. # Security Cyber threats are escalating in sophistication. Al is both the weapon and the shield, making trust in platforms and partners non-negotiable. # Cultural Digital identity and authenticity are under scrutiny. Deepfakes, synthetic media, and AI-generated content are forcing new norms around credibility and verification. # Technological Platforms are converging; cloud, edge, and AI ecosystems are fusing into intelligent operating layers. Quantum and neuromorphic computing are edging closer to commercial relevance. # Workflow, software & decision-making optimisation # Innovation outpaces integration: Why digital transformation still falls short While innovation continues to deliver ever newer and shinier tools, organisations are still grappling with the same old challenges of legacy infrastructure and manual interventions. It may not be surprising that our 2017 Trends Report showed firms were not prepared for a digital world, but expectations were that they would be fully transformed today with seamless processes and systems. Our latest 2026 report reveals this is not the case. Disjointed workflows are commonplace along with poor integration between systems and lack of visibility, particularly into back-office processes. Together, these factors have delayed decision making, stymied growth, and blunted any competitive edge. # 3x perception gap betweenc-suite and managers # 62% face a platform integration crisis # 53% stuck in 'automation purgatory' # The race to automate Organisations are at critical inflection points across three key optimisation domains: workflows, software platforms, and decision-making systems. The middle majority (53%) of businesses have started their automation journey, finding themselves still reliant on manual processes and far from the finishing line. If they do not accelerate the pace, they run the risk of stalling or regressing as others overtake them. Three tier automation model Rely mostly on manual or disconnected processes # Workflow challenges and priorities in 2026 Organisations are investing heavily in AI and efficiency, yet persistent workflow challenges continue to limit impact. # Workflow priorities: AI adoption and integration 2 Improving customer experience 3 Operational efficiency 4 Reducing costs # Key workflow challenges: Poor integration between platforms 2 Inefficient or manual workflows 3 Lack of visibility into back-office processes # The platform paradox Despite significant software investments, most organisations are struggling with alignment. With over $60\%$ pointing to a software integration crisis within their company. This is the danger zone – where if they do not take action, the concern is that they will backslide into the misaligned category. Fully aligned 35% Systems flex with strategic goals. Somewhat aligned 62% Gaps are emerging. Misaligned 4% Tools and workflows holding us back. # Cloud optimisation maturity ladder Although most are in the early stages organisations are clearly progressing through the cloud sophistication journey from tactical (collaboration) to strategic (scalability), business continuity. Maturing from 'cloud for remote work' to 'cloud as a business foundation'. This shift signals that cloud is no longer a stop-gap solution but the backbone of future resilience and growth. Organisations that accelerate this journey will gain agility, reduce risk, and unlock competitive advantage - while those that stall risk being overtaken by faster, more adaptive peers. 35% Business Continuity (Strategic) Improving disaster recovery 31% Critical Apps (Strategic) Hosting critical business applications 46% Scalability (Emerging) Enhancing scalability for fluctuating workloads 52% Integration (Growing) Integrating with other platforms and tools 39% Collaboration (Mature) Enabling remote and hybrid work # The perception gap The most striking finding lies in decision-making optimisation: senior leaders and middle managers are not aligned on the systems that enable data. There is a three-fold perception gap between the two groups, revealing a disconnect between strategic vision and operational reality. Data is abundant, but insight delivery is failing. While executives benefit from advanced decision support, operational teams remain underserved, leaving a critical gap in how organisations turn information into action. Unless businesses close this gap, they risk undermining the very investments made in data and AI. Bridging perception and capability is essential to ensure that insights flow across all levels, enabling faster, more consistent, and more secure decision-making. Our systems enable data-driven decisions 53% of C-Suite agree 18% of managers agree Interactive poll not supported View online version # AI powered optimisations # Percentage of work utilising AI 45% of organisations have less than 25% AI-powered work, yet AI is the number one priority (53%). This represents a massive ambition-execution gap. # AI Perception Paradox: $53 \%$ believe they're ahead, of their competition when it comes to AI but $45 \%$ have less than $25 \%$ AI adoption. Either: Organisations are overconfident in their AI maturity, OR the entire industry is behind, making "ahead" a relative term. Believe ahead of competitor About the same Believe behind competitors AI is increasingly recognised as a tool to improve efficiency and decision-making across fleets and back-office operations. While ambition is high, adoption remains uneven, with many operators still at an early stage due to time, skills, and confidence constraints. Richard Smith MD, RHA in # The OneAdvanced perspective # The current state of human-machine collaboration # Ten years on, the digital skills divide persists Organisations are facing a workforce readiness crisis with the majority prioritising AI investments but only a fraction preparing employees to use them, creating a bottleneck in human-machine collaboration. Despite a decade of warnings, the digital skills gap remains wide - with training and development ranking low in the list of priorities even as rapid technological change accelerates. Without urgent investment in the workforce, companies will lag behind their competitors, unable to capture the promised gains in efficiency and innovation. # No. 1 Priority AI Adoption # No. 2 Challenge Skills Gap # 10th Priority Talent Development # Workforce readiness crisis The imbalance between machine capability and human preparedness signals a critical gap. Without equipping employees to harness AI, organisations risk undermining the very investments meant to drive transformation. <table><tr><td>Metric</td><td>Ranking</td></tr><tr><td>AI Adoption Priority</td><td>#1 Priority</td></tr><tr><td>Skills Gaps Challenge</td><td>#2 Challenge</td></tr><tr><td>Talent Development</td><td>10th Priority</td></tr></table> Interactive poll not supported View online version # AI in practice: Overconfidence masks reality Although $82\%$ of respondents believe they are aligned or ahead of their closest three competitors when it comes to AI, the reality is more complex. Businesses are moving at different paces with almost half reporting that AI only plays a part in less than $25\%$ of their work. This disconnect between perceived maturity and actual implementation reflects a dangerous overconfidence that delays urgent action on workforce readiness, limiting the impact of AI to isolated tasks rather than transformative change. of respondents believe they are aligned or ahead of their closest three competitors when it comes to AI. 45% However, $45 \%$ of respondents shared that AI plays a part in less than $25 \%$ of work. # Business priorities and challenges for 2026 Organisations are balancing ambitious priorities with persistent challenges - revealing where focus, investment, and resilience must converge to drive sustainable growth. <table><tr><td>Business Priorities</td><td>Rank</td><td>Challenges</td></tr><tr><td>AI adoption and integration</td><td>1</td><td>Economic uncertainty</td></tr><tr><td>Operational efficiency</td><td>2</td><td>Skills or talent gaps</td></tr><tr><td>Reducing costs</td><td>3</td><td>Slow adoption of AI / automation</td></tr><tr><td>Improving customer experience</td><td>4</td><td>Poor integration between platform and systems</td></tr><tr><td>Cyber resilience</td><td>5</td><td>Inefficient or manual workflows</td></tr><tr><td>Enhancing data & analytics capabilities</td><td>6</td><td>Compliance</td></tr><tr><td>Regulation and compliance</td><td>7</td><td>Difficulty making data-driven decisions</td></tr><tr><td>Sustainability</td><td>8</td><td>Lack of visibility into back office processes (finance, HR, operations)</td></tr><tr><td>Modernising legacy systems</td><td>9</td><td>Sustainability</td></tr><tr><td>Talent development (retention and employee experience)</td><td>10</td><td></td></tr></table> # The bottleneck Technology cannot exist in isolation. It requires skilled operators and genuine collaboration between humans and machines to deliver value. This is not a hidden problem - most organisations openly acknowledge that skills gaps are the second biggest operational challenge after economic uncertainty. Yet despite this recognition, investment in training and development continues to languish at the bottom of the priority list, ranking only tenth. The disconnect is clear: companies are accelerating technology adoption, particularly in AI, but failing to prepare their people to use these tools effectively. Without the right skills, even the most advanced systems risk becoming underutilised or misapplied, undermining both productivity and innovation. Unless leaders elevate workforce readiness to the same level of importance as technology investment, they will struggle to capture the promised gains of digital transformation. Closing the skills gap is not optional - it is the foundation for resilience, competitiveness, and sustainable growth in an AI-driven economy. # Departmental variations Unsurprisingly, tech departments are in the lead with AI augmented workflows and internal expertise and champions. Finance departments are moderately ready, adopting AI for specific use cases and modelling. HR is the laggard and the most resistant to automation. This is problematic because one of its key functions is to help drive cultural change across the workforce. IT/Tech Departments - Most Ready (Leaders) <table><tr><td>Metric</td><td>Percentage</td></tr><tr><td>High AI integration (51-100%)</td><td>30.6%</td></tr><tr><td>Medium AI integration (26-50%)</td><td>35%</td></tr><tr><td>Low AI integration (0-10%)</td><td>8.5%</td></tr></table> HR Departments - Early Stage (Lagging) <table><tr><td>Metric</td><td>Percentage</td></tr><tr><td>High AI integration (51-100%)</td><td>51.4% (highest laggard)</td></tr><tr><td>Medium AI integration (26-50%)</td><td>27.8%</td></tr><tr><td>Low AI integration (0-10%)</td><td>18%</td></tr></table> Many operators are investing in technology, but workforce readiness is lagging behind. Skills gaps, limited training capacity, and an ageing workforce remain barriers to realising the full value of AI and automation. Richard Smith MD, RHA in # The OneAdvanced perspective # Measuring the value of digital investments # Measuring digital value amongst rising cyber threats # 68% of companies plan to invest more in cybersecurity Organisations are making significant investments into digital technologies, yet our research reveals they continue to struggle with measuring and realising the full value of these investments. Perceptions differ regarding the return on investment (ROI) generated with C-suite executives believing they extract 3x more value from these investments than their operational managers on the ground. These challenges reflect both the rapid advances in technology and the rising costs of recent years. At the same time, concerns around cyber crime and security continues. First highlighted in our survey a decade ago and reiterated in our 2021 report, these issues continue to demand attention alongside the evolving digital landscape. # 31% are suffering internal execution issues # 76% of executives agree that systems help to realise value # Value realisation blockers Organisations face multiple barriers to unlocking the full value of digital transformation. While some blockers are external, the majority lie within their own control, highlighting a clear opportunity to accelerate progress. Economic uncertainty is cited by $28\%$ as the largest single blocker outside of organisational control Internal execution issues such as slow AI adoption, poor integration and manual workflows (31%) rank highly Skills gaps are the #2 operational challenge Additional blockers: Compliance (9.1%), data-driven decision difficulty (6.7%), back-office visibility (6.3%), sustainability (4.2%). # What is working Organisations are already seeing tangible returns from digital investments, with three areas standing out as clear value drivers. # Cloud collaboration (39% adoption) Measured value: Lower office costs, higher employee satisfaction, continuity in disruption, recruitment advantage. # Process automation (35% at advanced stage) Measured value: Hours saved, error reduction $\%$ , faster completion times, labour cost savings. # Executive data-driven decisions # (76.1% agree systems help) Measured value: Faster decisions, better strategic outcomes, reduced consultant reliance, more confident leadership. # Investment priority list Our analysis of investment patterns reveals a clear priority: technology. AI adoption and integration lead the way, commanding $54\%$ of investment, with cyber security and data analytics also ranking highly. At the opposite end of the spectrum, talent retention and employee experience account for just $10.8\%$ . In other words, organisations are placing five times more emphasis on AI tools than on the people expected to use them - highlighting a critical imbalance between technological ambition and human capability. This investment imbalance directly correlates with value realisation challenges. 1 AI adoption & integration 3 Reducing costs 5 Cyber resilience 7 Sustainability 9 Modernising legacy systems 2 Operational efficiency 4 Improving customer experience 6 Enhancing data and analytics capabilities 8 Regulation and compliance 10 (retention & employee experience) # Cybersecurity Cybersecurity continues to emerge as a long-running theme in our research, with $70\%$ of companies acknowledging that they need to increase spending in this area. Despite this recognition, cybersecurity ranks only fifth out of ten on the overall investment chart. This positioning reflects a broader mindset: while organisations rightly view investment in technology as paramount to future success, resilience and risk management are still not receiving the level of prioritisation they deserve. The data suggests that many businesses remain focused on growth, innovation, and efficiency, yet underestimate the extent to which cyber threats can erode these gains. Rising attacks, escalating costs of breaches, and the reputational damage associated with security failures all point to the need for stronger, more proactive investment. Cybersecurity is not simply a technical safeguard - it is a business enabler, underpinning trust, continuity, and long-term value creation. Unless organisations elevate cybersecurity to a top-tier priority, they risk undermining the very foundations of their digital strategies. Protecting data, systems, and customer trust is not optional; it is the prerequisite for sustainable success in an era where AI adoption, cloud integration, and digital transformation are accelerating at unprecedented speed. Where technology is working well, operators are seeing tangible benefits, including improved fleet visibility, reduced administrative burden, and stronger compliance management. These successes show what's possible when solutions are practical, integrated, and aligned to operational reality. Richard Smith MD, RHA # The OneAdvanced perspective Thank you for reading # Trends Report 2026